Promote historical and cultural values of Narta LagoonCarnivals day in Narta to encourage further conservation and protection of these values as a support to the development of tourist resources Monday 19 April 2004, by
Web Team

The City Council of Vlora District, in cooperation with
other active organizations and local authorities, supported from local institutions and enterprises, local NGOs, Chamber of Commerce, religious community, etc, organised the days of NARTA CARNIVALS from 11-13 April 2004.

The objective of this activity was to appreciate historical and cultural values of this area and also to encourage further conservation and protection of these values as a support to the development of tourist resources.

The activities included some fest concerts by the pupils of the village of Narta, ethno-gastronomic fair, games, visits, and public awareness events.

The core groups of the fest were organized in three main crowds, each of them led by a guide, dressed in traditional carnival cloths (kilt, waistcoat and disguise), which replicated the ancestors of this area or different animals. Folk music associated the carnivals during all the ceremony, moving around the streets of the village.

During the ceremony there was traditional homemade wine and food particularly Easter eggs, offered to the participants. During these three days the inhabitants celebrated at their homes as well and families exchanged visits (occasionally celebrating also other family ceremonies such as wedding in the church, etc)

The role and commitment of the MedWetCoast Project

MWC project found it interesting to participate in this local event, as one of the very few ones happening in this project site, having such participatory attributes.

Given the objective of this ceremony it was thought as very important the presence of MWC project as part of the work and contribution to this community for the conservation of the natural values of their ecosystem, particularly Narta Lagoon, as well as addressing also the environmental problems of this area, exploring problems solution alternatives, providing significant input to nature conservation of this beautiful landscape.

In this regard, there was a perfect match of the project outcomes with those of this local fest event such as: awareness raising of the community and different visitors for the conservation of eco-tourist resources, conservation and protection of the environmental values, traditional and ethno-gastronomic culture subject to quality, tradition, and native products, and promotion of these resources.

Environmental focused performance of the MWC in this ceremony was effected by securing an artistic description of the environmental values and biodiversity threats to this ecosystem (a minibus was covered with material designed with thematic graphics and artistic works); through artistic approaching of environmental concerns, based in the carnival idea, it was aimed the public awareness raising for the local community on these issues.

On Sunday, 11 April 2004, at early morning, the MWC organized a gathering of the project staff, different experts committed with MWC activities, departing to Vlora, with the above-mentioned minibus.

Part of this participation was also the team from the MoE, including the Minister of Environment, Prof. Dr. Et’hem Ruka, Mr. Zamir Dedej-Director of Nature Conservation and Biodiversity and Director of the Project, as well as some other directors and specialist from the MoE. This ceremony was attended and greeted by the parliamentary members and government officials.

Traveling with the designed minibus from Tirana to Vlora and also in the Vlora region was really impressing; the content of the messages written along with the graphic designs matching the idea behind attracted the participants in this ceremony and also all those who watched the movement of this minibus.

The meaning of the slogans was the following: (click on picture to enlarge poster)
Left side of the minibus: (hunters watched by a flamingo addressing them with the slogan: "hey people, don’t waste your shots: save one egg today to have henhouse full" and the lower part: a duck symbolizing cleaning up of the ecosystem carrying the words: "eco- machinery"
Back side: A goose, after capturing some insects and sewage animals, armed with gun, saying: "citizens: try just one what you do to me every day!"
On the right side: a pelican has capturing some hunters saying: "legal hunting to illegal hunters" and the other picture showing three different waterfowls saying: "we eco-musketeers- one for all and for one: let as face the problem - two paws and two spurs to protect ourselves".

All the ceremony took the whole day; it stated up from the center of Vlora city, walking (driving) up to the Narta village, a short concert in front the of the school of this village, and then the people attending this festive ceremonies exchanged discussions, visits and discussions on this occasional day; further the celebrations took place in the stadium of Narta (speeches, games, singing and discussing